Tuesday, July 12, 2005

I mentioned this in the comments section of yesterday's entry, but for defensive Detroiters (or Michiganders, since I'm in Ann Arbor), it's worth noting again: An out-of-town sportswriter not only gave Detroit some love, but called it "the best sports town in America." Jason Whitlock of the Kansas City Star (but writing for espn.com) didn't follow the same tired formula as many of his lazy sportswriting peers, writing off Detroit as a hellhole where fans set cars on fire when their teams win.

Granted, Whitlock used to write for the Ann Arbor News, so he probably knows the area better than other out-of-town writers. But it's still nice to see someone stick up for Detroit and remind the rest of the country that it's been fortunate enough to host virtually every major sporting event (How many Super Bowls have been played in Chicago, Boston, or New York?) and has a rich tradition of both collegiate and professional sports that many other cities don't even approach.

"Laugh all you want, but the Motor City gets the job done. Detroit is the old high school sweetheart who landed the boy who went on to win the Heisman Trophy and put together a Hall of Fame career. Yes, she lost her hourglass figure three kids ago, and suffered through some painful public infidelity. But now, in her 40s, she's still on the arm of the man of most women's dreams, controls most of his money, and has the freedom, emotional leverage and confidence to come and go as she pleases."